Kind Lending Shifts Strategy as 2026 Growth Gains Momentum
Irvine-based Kind Lending is recalibrating its operations for 2027, announcing the dissolution of its joint venture with Success Lending while reporting a 44% surge in year-over-year funded volume within its wholesale division. The lender is doubling down on automation to streamline loan processing and reduce borrower friction.
Founder and CEO Glenn Stearns characterized the split with Success Lending as a strategic, mutual decision, allowing the firm to focus resources on its core retail and wholesale channels. Under the guidance of newly appointed SVP of Retail Jonathan Engler, the company aims to scale its national footprint by aggressively recruiting top-tier talent and leveraging its recent momentum.
Technological investment remains the primary engine for this expansion. Kind Lending is currently deploying automated systems designed to verify borrower income and employment status without additional fees. By automating the evaluation of loan documentation against underwriting criteria, the company expects to clear simple conditions faster, freeing its staff to manage more complex mortgage files. These initiatives, developed alongside government-sponsored enterprises, are intended to simplify the path from submission to approval.
External validation of this approach arrived in 2026, with the company securing USA Today Top Workplace honors for the third year running. Furthermore, Stearns received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Pacific Southwest Award, reinforcing the firm's standing as it attempts to modernize the mortgage banking landscape through its proprietary blend of technology and client-focused service.
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